You won't find Grandma behind the counter at this chic cafe in Old Hanapepe Town, a charming village full of galleries, boutiques and rehabbed plantation-era stores about 13 miles west of Poipu.

Instead you'll find a young sushi chef whipping up rolls and sashimi while other tempting dishes such as bowls, tempura, salads and entrees appear from the kitchen.

Insider tips: Schedule time to walk around scenic Hanapepe Town before lunch, then try one of the cafe's bowls, a good deal at $11 for veggies, $14 for chicken and $17 for ahi poke.

- LA Times

3 Perfect Days on Kauai: The Quintessential Hawaiian Island

8:30 p.m. Sit for a spell at Japanese Grandma’s, a restaurant where colorful tropical upholstery meets Japanese minimalism. Here, you’ll find sushi rolls and nigiri and a meaty broiled hamachi kama—fresh homespun food meticulously prepared, as if a Japanese grandma were indeed doing the preparing.